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At debate McCain, Obama spar over economy, Iraq

BY JENNIFER MALONEY | jennifer.maloney@newsday.com

October 7, 2008

Sparring over the troubled economy, Barack Obama and John McCain met for their second debate Tuesday night, one hoping to solidify his lead and the other aiming to turn his fortunes around.

"I know how to get America working again, restore our economy and take care of working Americans," McCain said in his response to the first question of the night.

With the economy roiling and campaign attacks increasing in intensity, the debate offered McCain a chance to convince voters that he can lead the nation through the current crisis in the credit, housing and stock markets.

Obama, for his part, sought to pin the country's financial problems on "the failed economic policies of the last eight years . . . supported by Senator McCain."

The town hall format at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., allowed voters to ask questions vetted by NBC's Tom Brokaw, who struggled to keep the candidates' answers within allotted time limits.

"I'm just hired help," Brokaw said at one point.

Obama has strengthened his advantage in national polls and has gained an edge in crucial battleground states as the Wall Street crisis has focused voters' attention on the economy, an area where polls show they prefer the Illinois senator's leadership.

Seeking to turn political discussion away from the economy, McCain's campaign in the past few days has unleashed a volley of attacks, which have been countered by the Obama campaign.

That acerbic tone crept into Tuesday's debate.

"Nailing down Senator Obama's tax proposals is like nailing Jell-O to a wall," McCain said. "He wants to raise taxes."

Obama shot back: "The Straight Talk Express lost a wheel on that one. . . . He wants to give the average Fortune 500 CEO an additional $700,000 in tax cuts. That does not work and it isn't fair."

Standing on a stage with no lecterns, the candidates held wireless microphones and walked around, approaching the audience as they answered questions on health care and Social Security, Iraq and Iran.

Warning against government intrusion into health care, McCain jabbed his opponent: If you're a parent struggling to pay for your children's health insurance, he said, "Senator Obama will find you."

Obama responded with a personal story: "For my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and to spend the last months of her life in a hospital room, arguing with her insurance . . . there's something wrong about that."

In a foreign-policy discussion, McCain echoed a phrase he used several times in the first debate, saying Obama "does not understand" the country's security challenges.

"We don't have time for on-the-job training, my friend," McCain said.

Obama answered: "It's true there are some things I don't understand. I don't understand how we ended up invading a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. That was Senator McCain's judgment and it was the wrong judgment."

Both men drew from their life stories to depict themselves as strong leaders, Obama describing his journey from working class roots to "the best schools on earth" as an example of the American dream, and McCain referred to his time as a prisoner of war.

"I know what it's like in dark times," McCain said.

The opponents faced off at a time when Americans are expressing a bleak view of the country's direction.

A Gallup Poll released Tuesday showed just 9 percent say they're satisfied with the way things are going, the lowest rate ever recorded in the 29 years Gallup has asked the question. Asked to name the country's major problem, 69 percent said the economy. Next closest: 11 percent cited the Iraq war.

The candidates' third and final debate will be hosted on Oct. 15 by Hofstra University.

This story was supplemented with wire reports.